Rack



March 24, 1953 A, FELDMAN 2,632,569

RACK

Filed Maron e. 1952 3 Sheets--Sheaetl 2 uh@ L? 2l IU j m ju? March 24, 1953 A, FELDMAN 2,632,569

RACK

Filed March 6, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RACK Alexander L. Feldman, Bronx,v N. Y.

Application March, 1952, Serial No. 275,062

2 Claims,

This invention is concerned with racks for holding elongated objects such as knives, forks and spoons, and the principal object of the invention is to vprovide a simple, sturdy, economor in a sink, and which canbe used to dry and store silver between usings.

My invention can best be lunderstood by reference. to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my device constructed of sheet metal;

Figure 2 is a partially broken side view of Figure 1;

Fig-ure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative form of bottom incorporating the principle of my invention;

Figure 4 is a Ic-ross section Ithrough line 4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a section of a ring used to make another for-m of my 4device which can be constructed from plastic;

Figure 6 is a `cross section through the line 6-6 of Figure 5, showing how la completed unit would look;

Figure 7 is a top view of the plastic bottom #31 in Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings, my rack is essenltially an elongated open cylinder with a preferably foraminous bottom, and a handle at the top, with sides comprising rings which are truncated inverted conic sections. Preferably, the interior of the cylinder is divided into ia number of vertical -sections by vertical partitions.

rThe inverted truncated conic rings are so spaced with relationship to each other that pieces of silverware pushed into the holder from the top, will, when they just clear the bottom of one ring, hit the surface of the ring just below it, even though there is -a considerable open vertical space between the bottom of one ring and the top of the next. This is, of course, due to the inward slant of the ring sections.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the rack may be built about a pair of sheet metal cross pieces I and II, made by folding two pieces of sheet metal and fastening them to the handle member I3 passing through the center of the rack. A circular flat disc I4. is

2 secured to the bottom of the vcross pieces IIJ-I I holes I5 cut in the bottom disc I4, provided` for adequate drainage. Preferably, the disc I4 is spaced from any surface on which it may rest by providing a ring I6 about its periphery, atV

right angles to the disc; this entire piece can be stamped out of a large disc, andformed in a single operation.

An alternative method of constructing the bottom is shown in Figures 3v and 4'. Inclined slats 43I areused. Thisdesign incorporates the principle of the invention in theV construction of the bottom as well as the sides.

Also, the bottom may be designed as a solid piece, with a slight pitch from theY center to the sides, whereby drainage is ensured through the bottom opening' I8.

At calculated intervals between -the disc I4, forming the bottom of the rack, and the top of the cross pieces I 0 and II, there are disposed rings I1, whose construction and disposition are vital to the success of my new rack. These rings are essentially inverted conic sec-tions; they are laid around and attached to the cross pieces at their extremities, with openings I8 between them to provide for drainage, ventilation and easy passage of fluids. In orderto ensure that pieces of silverware will automatically stack correctly in the Irack, the rings are so related to each other that a straight line drawn from the crossing point I9 of the pieces I0 and II, through the bottoms 20, 2|, 22, 23 and 24 of any of the rings, will strike the ring below it. Hence, if silver is put into the rack, a piece striking the top ring will be `deiiectecl downward by the inwardly slanting surface of the inverted conic section which comprises the ring; it will slide past the point 20 and strike the ring, Past the point 2l and strike the next ring, and Iso on until it hits bottom, where it belongs. There are no drainage -holes into which it can hit and be caught in and at the same time a large space is provided to permit air and fluid circulation.

Another form of the device is illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 7. This form of the `device can be made from molded plastic. Here the rack consists of a group of identical sections, each consisting of a cross shaped piece 3l, the arms of which lare inverted wedges, with a narrow top portion 32 and a wider bottom portion 33; these pieces correspond to pieces I0 and II of the first form of the device. The merit of the wedge lcross section shape is that objects cannot catch in Vany spaces between the arms, the principle being similar' to that used in the ring design.

At both ends of one of the arms, the piece is enlarged to form end portions 34, through which holes 35 are drilled or cast. The circumference about thi-s cross piece is partially lled by a ring 35, which is an inverted truncated conic section with its base on the circumference of the top of the section, but truncated well above the bottom of the section, to provide an opening between the bottom of the ring and the bottom of the section.

These sections are joined together with a bottom disc 31 having holes 38 therein and leg members 39, by means of a handle member 40 having legs 4l which fit into holes 35 in the end portions 34. Flattened spots in the legs 4l and washers 42 hold the top section; while wing nuts 43, on the threaded bottoms 44 of the legs 4I hold the assemblage together.

It will be seen that this form of the device, like that shown in Figures 1 and 2 will automatically force iiatware down to the bottom.

Both forms of the device can be styled to provide handsome water resistant racks which can be used both for washing, draining, drying and storage. Furthermore, they are so largely open that the device can be used in mechanical dishwashers as well as in ordinary dishwashing. The sides of the rings will serve to deflect the stream of water downward along the objects tending better to remove particles from them. Because Y the pieces are held vertically, they drain properly, and dry without the spots which gather onY flatware which is allowed to drain in the conventional horizontal position.

Obviously While the device hasspecialutility for washing iiatware, its use is not restricted thereto. 'I'he rack could be used for storing 4 any rigid elongated object where circulation of uid past the objectfor washing, drying, aeration, etc.-is desired.

While I have described my rack as a cylinder, it could obviously be of any cross-sectional shape, although I prefer the cylinder shape because there are no corners in which to catch and insertion into the washing cylinder is easier.

I claim:

1. A rack for holding elongated objects while exposing them to iiuid action, comprising a vertically elongated hollow body open at the top, and consisting of a skeleton frame holding a bottom member and a plurality of side wall members disposed around the periphery of the hollow body and vertically spaced from each other, to provide openings in the sides of the rack, the side members extending inwardly and downwardly from the side Walls for a suicient distance so that a straight line drawn from any point in the open top of the rack will strike the frame, a side member, or the bottom member.

2. 'Ihe rack of claim l in which the rack is divided into compartments by a series of cross shaped members the arms of which are inverted wedges in cross section.

ALEXANDER L. FELDMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 928,762 Insinger July 20, 1909 1,345,401 Ratner July 6, 1920 

